My DD9 needs constant input. I am not one to provide that so I leave her to her own devices...and I usually regret it. Today she did about a dozen art pieces since she missed art on Friday due to a doctor's appointment. I do not like art and I always opted out of optional art stuff when I was in school (even in K) - I did not want to think of something to create and I really did not want to clean it up. Now I think there is payback as I clean up her mess.
I don't know if DD9 is gifted but DD18 & DD16 have been labeled due to FSIQ > 130 - they did not require constant input. They also could entertain each other since they are only two years apart. They do entertain DD9 sometimes, but DD18 is now off at college and DD16 cannot take on all the entertainment. She tires out her sisters and they recognize that they were not like her. Even physical activity doesn't help that much. She wanted to go on the playground with other kids when she was at one of her sister's softball tournaments. She was running around for three hours and pleaded to stay when it was over - she claimed she needed more time (fortunately it started pouring so I got out of that one).
I don't have much advice but it has not gotten better yet with DD9. I do endorse the great babysitter (the TV). There is plenty of educational stuff on Netflix, though my kids often opt to watch mindless stuff.
I did make her write down the questions I can't answer (or can't answer while in the car) in a notebook - this helps a bit.
